Winter Project

[bonsaitree]

I've decided that when the riding season here ends along with some general boat care things I'm going to build a wakeskate. I'm planning on building a press out of 2x6 probably along with some sort of thin particle board to cover the face of the press and leave a smooth surface to pull away from the finished skate. I'm still having some trouble deciding on how exactly I want to shape the skate. I've been researching how the shape of the skate is going to affect its performance, but I'm coming up short in quite a few places. I've noticed some skates are almost rectangular and others are almost circular in their shape. What are the benefits of having the sharper corners? I can see how it might help with edging but then also the extra mass maybe make it harder to flip the board. I've seen some boards that claim a 5 stage rocker. Is there really that much benefit as opposed to a 3 stage? Is the 5 stage going to react like a combination of an abrupt 3 stage and a continuous? OR maybe the 5 reacts more like a subtle 3 stage?

Fins... what does the byerly wakeskate specific fin offer different that a typical fin? It seems that you could just as easily use a trimmed down pwing or something similar to give you the same lock in straight but ease of breaking loose. I assume the boards that indent a small area at the tail and nose around the fin are going to feel a little more locked in than those boards that are flat on the bottom, but why don't any skates extend those steps down the length of the board?

Anyone have any tips on cupping the nose, tail and rails of the board so that the top feels more like a skateboard? I've got my own ideas on how to do it but I'm curious if anyone has already thought of a better way than mine.

I realize that this post seems very vague and asks a lot of questions, but I'm really just looking for any kind of information I can gain from those who know more than me. And before you tell me... yes I've been pouring through threads here and at wakeskating.com, and I'll most likely be posting over there also to try and gain some knowledge from them as well. Oh and come next month or so check back for updates as I plan on documenting the whole process in hopes that it might help someone after me.

[Punkpenguin]

Dont use particle board, use baltic birch, you might have to go to a specialty plywood shop, but its like 18 dollars for a 5x5 sheet, you'll need 2 layers of it so you could get 2 boards out of 1 sheet. You wont be able to add a 5 or even 3 stage rocker if your building it yourself unless you have a rocker table, which is a table of wood built to match the inverse of the rocker you want, which you would put like 3000 pounds on top of to form it.... you can just go with a very sutle rocker of probably less than a 1/4th inch.

[Dave W]

bonsaitree: No idea about the rocker patterns, but I know a fuller tip and tail will probably help you get more pop on your ollies.

I built a wakeskate a few years back but I didn't mess around with cupping the rails at all. I built mine with three layers of quarter inch plywood so molding the cups into the rails wouldn't have been an option even if I had wanted to do it. The way I built it I would have had to hand shape the wood after I molded in the rocker. Looking back at it now, I wish I had looked into building it up out of a bunch of layers of door skin or some other really thin laminate. I would have been able to build a lighter, thinner skate and possibly even include more bottom features.

I built it at the time because I was dirt poor and had some extra fins lying around and I wanted to be able to ride doubles with my girlfriend. If I hadn't had the fins and the wood lying around, I wouldn't have done it because it would have been cheaper to buy a low end skate than to construct what I made. I'd never do it again unless I decided I had too much time/money on my hands and wanted to try to build a really light honeycomb core skate.

Either way, if you've got the time/money and want to try it, it is kind of rewarding to make one yourself.

[bonsaitree]

Dave W, much appreciated feedback! I realize it may be more expensive in the end, but I'm really just doing it because I want to. I like being able to tell people "I built it" when they ask where I got something. Plus being a mechanical engineer I just like to do stuff like this.

Punkpenguin, go back at read my post again. Only the press will be skinned with particle board so give a smooth surface, not the actual skate. and as far as building a rocker table.....Isn't that essentially what a press is? Maybe you're talking about something else or not understand me. Either way, what you said didn't make much sense to me.